Rabies outbreak spreads to two more areas in Sarawak

KUCHING: Two more areas – Kampung Entubuh in Tebedu and Batu 5, Jalan Semeba in Kuching – have been declared as new rabies-infected areas today (July 23).

This decision was made during a meeting at the Hornbill Skyways Sdn Bhd hangar between Sarawak Disaster Management Committee chairman Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and Local Government Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian this morning.

A statement issued by the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee at 8.30am said the declaration had to be done due to positive rabies cases involving dogs in those areas.

“Therefore, the people in those areas are required to keep their pet dogs in their house compounds to avoid letting them stray around outside and risk getting infected,” said the statement.

So far, 20 areas in Sarawak have already been declared rabies-infected, with 16 such areas in Serian district, two in Tebedu and one in Kuching.

It was learnt that a vaccination exercise on pets was carried out at the newly declared areas since this morning.

The people of Kampung Semeba, located within the infected area, were informed of this news during this morning’s church service, while those in Entubuh were informed about the matter yesterday evening.

The rabies outbreak has so far resulted in the deaths of four children aged four to seven years old from Serian.